Core Viewpoint - NetEase is facing significant backlash from players due to a series of controversial decisions, particularly related to the pricing strategy of its game "World Beyond," which has led to widespread dissatisfaction and calls for boycotts [2][6][8]. Group 1: Pricing Controversy - The price increase for the new card pool in "World Beyond" from 300 diamonds to 400 diamonds represents a 33% hike, which was not communicated to players through official channels [6][7]. - Players have reported a total of 3,251 complaints regarding "World Beyond," with a total claim amount exceeding 5.78 million yuan within a short period [8]. - The backlash has been exacerbated by controversial user agreement terms that players feel infringe on their rights, such as account deletion after a year of inactivity [7]. Group 2: Public Relations Missteps - NetEase's attempts to address the situation through social media responses have backfired, leading to increased public outrage and trending topics mocking the company's approach [11][12]. - The company's statement that "wanting to make money" is a straightforward admission of its commercial intentions, which has alienated its core user base [22][25]. Group 3: Financial Pressures - The revenue pressure on "World Beyond" is evident, with estimates suggesting that its highest daily iOS revenue has dropped significantly from over 1.5 million dollars in 2024 to around 50,000 dollars in 2025 [18][19]. - NetEase's gaming business constitutes nearly 80% of its overall revenue, but growth has slowed considerably, necessitating a reevaluation of its business strategies [21]. Group 4: Emotional Disconnect - The essence of "World Beyond" as an otome game relies on emotional engagement, and players expect a deep connection rather than a purely commercial interaction [23][24]. - The company's failure to maintain this emotional connection has led to a significant erosion of trust among players, who feel exploited rather than valued [36][37]. Group 5: Industry-Wide Implications - The issues faced by "World Beyond" are reflective of broader challenges within the otome game sector, where companies often prioritize profit over the emotional bonds with players [30][34]. - The recent controversies highlight a misunderstanding among developers regarding the importance of emotional narratives in justifying player spending [35].

Group 1 - Hema X member stores will all cease operations as part of a business adjustment, with the last store closing on August 31 [3] - Li Xiang, CEO of Li Auto, announced a unified configuration for the Li i8 model, aiming for better sales performance in the 300,000 to 400,000 yuan price range [4] - Goldman Sachs is reportedly planning to acquire a stake in Froneri, the world's second-largest ice cream manufacturer, for 15 billion euros (approximately 125 billion yuan) [6] Group 2 - Geely Auto is undergoing significant adjustments in its intelligent driving team, with plans still under discussion [7] - Haidilao denied rumors of transitioning to a semi-self-service model, calling the claims false [7] - NetEase experienced a major outage affecting multiple games, attributed to internal server issues, with downtime exceeding two hours [9] Group 3 - JD.com is set to launch its first large discount supermarket format in August, with stores in Jiangsu and Hebei, featuring a wide range of products at lower prices [9] - Chery has mandated a 30% reduction in meetings to improve efficiency, reflecting on past inefficiencies [10] - Alibaba is launching a new membership system that integrates various services, with over 6% of positions focused on AI in its 2026 campus recruitment [14] Group 4 - Ant Group sold its remaining shares in Indian digital payment company Paytm for approximately $454 million, marking a complete exit from the company [14] - Tata Motors appointed its CFO as the new CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, replacing the previous CEO after three years [13] - Tencent led an investment round in the Uzbek fintech company Uzum, valuing it at around $1.5 billion [16] Group 5 - OpenAI released two open-weight AI models capable of mimicking human reasoning processes, available on the Hugging Face platform [20] - The Gates Foundation announced a $2.5 billion investment in women's health research, focusing on five key areas [20] - The global tablet shipment volume increased by 9% year-on-year in Q2 2025, with Apple maintaining the leading position [24]

Financial Support for New Industrialization - The People's Bank of China and other regulatory bodies issued guidelines to support new industrialization, focusing on key sectors like integrated circuits and industrial mother machines [1][2] - Banks are encouraged to provide long-term financing for technology breakthroughs and facilitate easier access to capital for companies achieving core technology advancements [1][2] Emerging Industries and Financing - New industries such as information technology, renewable energy, and biomedicine will have access to multi-tiered capital markets for financing [2] - Long-term funds from government investment funds and insurance will focus on future manufacturing and energy sectors [2] Support for Small and Medium Enterprises - Financial institutions are urged to reduce reliance on guarantees and provide financing based on data and asset credit [2] - A national credit information platform for small and micro enterprises is being developed to facilitate easier access to credit [2] Green Transition Financing - Financial support will be directed towards high-carbon industries that meet green transformation criteria, with a focus on green credit and bonds [2] - A specialized financial standard system will be established to enhance funding for green projects [2] Digital Integration and Services - Digital infrastructure projects like 5G and industrial internet will receive long-term loans and financing options [2] - Banks are developing digital platforms to provide one-stop services for financing and settlement, improving efficiency for small businesses [2] Risk Management in Financial Institutions - Financial institutions are required to monitor the use of funds to prevent misuse and ensure compliance with regulations [3] - Joint risk assessments will be conducted to share high-risk information and manage potential financial risks [3] Market Trends and Predictions - Major financial institutions have warned clients to prepare for potential declines in U.S. stock prices, with predictions of a 10% to 15% correction in the S&P 500 index [17][18] - The retail forecast for passenger vehicles in 2025 has been slightly adjusted upward, indicating a growth of 6% [19]

Group 1 - The 22nd ChinaJoy attracted a record 410,300 visitors, with 66% male and 34% female attendees, showcasing a total exhibition area of 135,000 square meters and 799 participating companies [1] - The high visitor turnout at ChinaJoy provides an excellent platform for product display and brand promotion, potentially enhancing revenue expectations for participating companies and boosting investor confidence [1] Group 2 - The official announcement for the launch of "Diablo II: Resurrected" in China is set for August 27, with a strong emphasis on combating cheating and ensuring a fair gaming environment [2] - This initiative is expected to increase player confidence and loyalty, which may lead to higher willingness to pay and retention rates, ultimately driving revenue growth for the game [2] Group 3 - Multiple games under NetEase experienced login issues, causing significant player concern and trending on social media [3] - The login failures could directly reduce daily active users and impact game revenue; prolonged issues may lead to player attrition and affect long-term revenue capabilities [3]

Group 1 - The 22nd ChinaJoy attracted a record 410,300 visitors, with 66% male and 34% female attendees, showcasing a significant interest in the digital entertainment sector [1] - The event featured 799 exhibitors across 135,000 square meters, providing a platform for product display and brand promotion, which is expected to enhance revenue expectations and investor confidence [1] - The announcement of the domestic launch of "Diablo II: Resurrected" on August 27 includes strict measures against cheating, aiming to ensure a fair gaming environment, which may boost player confidence and spending [2] Group 2 - Recent login issues across multiple NetEase games, including "Onmyoji" and "Identity V," have raised concerns among players, potentially impacting daily active users and revenue [3] - The login failures have prompted official responses from the game developers, indicating ongoing technical issues and plans for compensation, which may affect player retention if not resolved quickly [3] - As a leading player in the gaming industry, NetEase's operational challenges could have broader implications for its market share and long-term revenue capabilities [3]

Core Viewpoint - On August 5, multiple mobile games under NetEase experienced login issues, leading to the trending topic "NetEase Games Crashed" on social media platforms [1] Group 1: Game Login Issues - Players reported login failures for several popular games including "Onmyoji," "Identity V," "Seven Days World," and "A Dream of Jianghu" [1] - The official response from "Identity V" indicated that there were login anomalies and the development team was urgently working on troubleshooting [1] - "Onmyoji" acknowledged a temporary technical fault causing login issues and promised compensation for affected players once the problem was resolved [1] - The "Seven Days World" project team confirmed that some players were experiencing login issues and were actively investigating the problem [1]

Group 1 - The core issue was a significant outage affecting multiple games under NetEase, lasting over 2 hours, which led to widespread user complaints and discussions on social media [2][4] - Internal sources indicated that the outage was likely due to a network failure in the company's server infrastructure, confirmed by an official announcement regarding issues with their internal service, POPo [3][4] - NetEase has been investing in building its own data centers in Guizhou since 2022, moving key services including gaming and music to this infrastructure, which serves over 1 billion users nationwide [3] Group 2 - The last major outage for NetEase games occurred in March 2025, attributed to a network failure from their operator, China Mobile, which was resolved after urgent communication [3] - The scale of the current outage made troubleshooting difficult, with server reboots taking considerable time, as indicated by internal sources [4] - Official game teams, such as for "Identity V" and "Onmyoji," are actively working on resolving the login issues and have promised compensation to affected users [4]

Core Insights - The 31st Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) was held at the National Convention Center, showcasing NetEase's theme of "Technology Silk Road, Cultural Going Global" [1] - NetEase presented immersive exhibition areas focusing on three dimensions: "Technology Inheriting Intangible Cultural Heritage," "Technology Empowering Life," and "Technology Driving Breakthroughs" [1] Group 1 - The gaming AI experience area allowed visitors to interact with the intelligent NPC "Shen Qiusuo" from the game "Nirvana in Fire," powered by DeepSeek technology [3] - The non-material cultural heritage area highlighted NetEase's innovative practices in cultural inheritance through gaming, utilizing AI, 3D modeling, and motion capture technologies [3] - The exhibition featured collaborations between various games and traditional cultural elements, such as "A Dream of Jianghu" with "New Legend of the White Snake" and "Identity V" with Tang Sancai, showcasing the integration of gaming and cultural heritage [3] Group 2 - This year marked the first time NetEase's gaming, Youdao, and LOFTER businesses collaborated in the exhibition, demonstrating the synergy of digital technology in cultural heritage transmission [3] - The initiative aims to engage Generation Z as a new force in the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, emphasizing NetEase's cultural responsibility to promote traditional culture globally [3]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of game operation in the current era of stagnant growth in the gaming industry, highlighting that effective player management and engagement are crucial for retaining users and extending the lifecycle of games [8][16][54]. Group 1: Game Operation Challenges - The gaming industry is transitioning into a phase where retaining existing users is more critical than acquiring new ones, as evidenced by a mere 0.94% growth in China's gaming user base in 2024 [15][16]. - The operational strategies of game companies must adapt to the new reality of stagnant user growth, necessitating a focus on player retention and satisfaction [16][54]. - A significant operational incident in the game "绝地潜兵2" illustrates how poor management can lead to player dissatisfaction, despite initial successes [5][7]. Group 2: Player Engagement Strategies - Effective player operation involves understanding user behavior and proactively addressing potential churn risks, with companies employing data-driven strategies to monitor player engagement [27][30]. - Companies are increasingly using personalized communication and incentives to keep players engaged, such as sending tailored messages or rewards to those showing signs of disengagement [28][30]. - The concept of "超预期服务" (exceeding expectations) is highlighted, where companies go beyond standard service to create emotional connections with players, thereby enhancing loyalty [42][45]. Group 3: Historical Context and Evolution - The evolution of game operation practices over the past two decades reflects a shift from basic customer service to sophisticated user lifecycle management, driven by technological advancements and market competition [46][50]. - The rising costs of acquiring new players have made it imperative for companies to invest in retaining existing users, as the cost of acquiring a light user has increased to 35-40 yuan by 2024 [53][54]. - Historical insights reveal that early game companies did not prioritize extensive user engagement, but the current landscape demands a more nuanced approach to player relationships [56][58].

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of game operation in the current market, highlighting that success or failure often hinges on effective player engagement and retention strategies in a saturated gaming environment [6][18][56]. Group 1: Game Operation and Player Engagement - The recent incident in "Battlefield 2" illustrates how crucial game operation is, as player dissatisfaction arose from perceived operational flaws despite the game's initial success [3][5]. - Tencent's strategic officer noted that stagnation in a game often points to issues within the operational team rather than the game itself, stressing the need for the right personnel to manage player engagement [15]. - The gaming industry is transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to one focused on retaining existing players, making player operation more critical than ever [17][18][19]. Group 2: Challenges in Player Retention - In 2024, China's gaming user growth was only 0.94%, indicating a shift towards a more competitive landscape where retaining existing players is paramount [17]. - Companies are now tasked with keeping older games engaging for long-term players, which presents unprecedented challenges for player operation roles [19][30]. - Effective player operation involves monitoring user behavior and intervening before players decide to leave, utilizing data-driven strategies to enhance user experience [28][30]. Group 3: Evolution of Game Operation - The evolution of player operation has been significant, moving from basic customer service to a comprehensive lifecycle management approach that addresses user needs at every stage [49][52]. - The cost of acquiring new players has increased dramatically, necessitating a focus on retaining existing users to justify the investment made in acquiring them [55][56]. - Companies are learning from successful long-standing games, implementing strategies to extend their lifecycle and maintain player interest [57][58]. Group 4: The Role of Player Operation Teams - Player operation teams are now expected to provide "exceeding expectations" services, creating emotional connections with players to enhance retention [43][48]. - Successful player operation involves not just addressing complaints but also proactively engaging with players through personalized interactions and community-building activities [43][44][67]. - The emotional aspect of player operation is highlighted, as operators often form bonds with players, which can lead to increased loyalty and reduced churn [66][72].